Lens-fitted photographic film unit

ABSTRACT

A lens-fitted photographic film unit has a film housing, which is preloaded with photographic film and provided with photograph-taking structure. A protuberant portion is formed in front of the film housing. A cardboard packaging covers the film housing. A four-sided portion of the packaging is curved to project outwardly by pressure molding, and fitted on the protuberant portion. In a preferred embodiment, a cassette is contained in the film housing with its axis vertical and is disposed near an end of the film housing, and contains the film after the film has been exposed. The protuberant portion and the four-sided portion are curved about the outside of the cassette, to be used as a grip. Two slits are formed in the packaging and along respective horizontal sides of the four-sided portion, in order partially to expose the protuberant portion. The film housing is black. On the packaging, the edges of the slits are black.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a lens-fitted photographic film unit,more particularly to a photographic film unit which is packaged in aform convenient to be held manually.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Lens-fitted photographic film units are on sale under trade names suchas "Fujicolor Quick Snap" and "Fujicolor Quick Snap Flash" (manufacturedby Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.) When one purchases a photographic filmunit, it is readily portable and adapted to take photographs wheneverdesired. After completion of the use of the photographic film in thefilm unit, the photographic film unit, the photographic film unit isleft with a photographic finishing agent without taking out the film.

Various proposals have been made for reducing the cost of manufacturingphotographic film units: such film units in general are commerciallypackaged in an external cardboard packaging provided with printeddecoration as well as printed instructions. The packaging also serves asprotection. There have been proposals for reducing the overall size ofthe photographic film units in view of improving their portability.

Such lens-fitted photographic film units are pre-loaded with 135-typephotographic film within a cassette. In the course of manufacture of thefilm unit, the film is drawn out of the cassette, while the withdrawnstrip of film is wound in a roll. The unit is sold with the film thusfully withdrawn, the empty cassette with one end of the film attached toits spool being disposed on one side of the exposure frame and theunexposed film wound in a roll being disposed on the other side of theexposure frame. After exposure of each frame of the photo film, anexposed portion of the film one frame in length is wound back into thecassette. There is a problem in making very compact a film unitcontaining such a cassette, because the ability to reduce in size thephoto film unit is limited by the fixed size of the cassette.

Formerly there were only photographic film units whose depth, betweentheir front and rear surfaces, was at least the diameter of thecassette. More recently, it was proposed in U.S. patent application Ser.No. 07/928,703, to construct a photographic film unit having a depthless than the diameter of the cassette. In such a film unit, the body orfilm housing has a lesser depth, and a cassette-containing portion ispartly cylindrical and disposed to cover the front of a containedcassette while protruding to the front beyond the thinner part of thefilm housing.

However, such a film unit raises a problem in that it is very difficultto cover the protuberant cassette portion with a cardboard packaging.The convenience of a greatly reduced depth of the film unit cannot beenjoyed, because the film housing requires protection by use of thecardboard packaging.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing problems, an object of the present invention isto provide a lens-fitted photographic film unit which is easy to packagedespite a protuberant portion.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a lens-fittedphotographic film unit having a packaging of which the integrity isimproved and which can be handled with ease.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to achieve the above and other objects and advantages of thisinvention, a lens-fitted photographic film unit is pre-loaded withphotographic film and provided with photograph-taking means assembledtherein. A film housing encloses the photographic film and thephotograph-taking means. A protuberant portion is formed which protrudesbeyond the rest of the film housing. A packaging covers the film housingat least partially. A deformed portion of the packaging is deformed toproject outwardly, and is fitted on the protuberant portion.

A cassette is contained in the film housing with its axis vertical anddisposed near an end of the film housing, and contains the exposed film.The protuberant portion and the deformed portion are curved about theoutside of the cassette, to be usable as a grip.

At least one cut is formed in the packaging, adjacent at least onehorizontal side of the deformed portion, in order to expose a part ofthe protuberant portion.

In a preferred embodiment, the film housing has a first color. A coloredportion is formed on the packaging and at least on an edge of the cut tohave substantially the first color. The colored portion includes theentirety of the deformed portion.

In a method of producing a lens-fitted photographic film unit, aprotuberant portion is formed on the outside of the film housing. Atleast a portion of the packaging is subjected to press molding, fordeformation so as to project outwardly. The packaging is mounted aroundthe film housing, while fitting the press molded portion on theprotuberant portion.

Therefore, the protuberant cassette portion of the photo film unit iseasy to cover within a cardboard packaging. It is thus possible to enjoythe convenience of the photographic film unit having a considerablyreduced depth. The integrity of the packaging is improved and the filmunit can be handled with ease.

Should the packaging lack a deformed portion and have an opening throughwhich the protuberant cassette portion is exposed, the protuberantcassette portion would be used as grip to be held directly. There wouldthen be a problem in that an accidental tear in the cardboard might becreated at the edge of the opening during use of the film unit. However,the packaging of the present invention has no such problem because thereis no opening surrounding the protuberant portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above objects and advantages of the present invention will becomemore apparent from the following detailed description when read inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a lens-fitted photographicfilm unit according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a film housing adapted to bepackaged in the film unit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section illustrating the photographic film unit;

FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating a sheet for packaging of the filmunit;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view illustrating a pair of molds with thepackaging sheet to be pressed between them;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another preferred photographic film unitin which curved cuts are formed in the packaging;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the embodiment of FIG. 6;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are views similar to FIGS. 6 and 7, respectively, but ofanother embodiment of a film unit of which the grip is of a dark color,e.g. black;

FIGS. 10 and 11 are views similar to FIGS. 8 and 9, respectively, but inwhich curved cuts are formed in the packaging; and

FIG. 12 is a plan view illustrating another embodiment of a sheet forpackaging the film housing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In FIG. 1, a novel lens-fitted photographic film unit is constituted bya film housing 2 within a cardboard packaging 30. The film housing 2 isshaped as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. The film housing 2 consists of amain body 4, and front and rear covers 5 and 6 secured to the main body4 by use of hooks in cooperation with holes that receive the hooks. Themain body 4 has a cassette-containing chamber 4a and a film supplychamber 4b, of which the former contains a cassette C, and the lattercontains unexposed photographic film F that has been drawn out of thecassette C and wound in a roll. The main body 4 also includes a shuttermechanism and a one-frame winding mechanism. The front of the cassettecontaining chamber 4a is cylindrical and projects forwardly. To coverthe cassette containing chamber 4a, the front cover 5 is provided with aprotuberant portion 7, which is located to the right as viewed by theuser holding the film unit. The main body 4 also has an exposure chamber4c behind which an imaging frame is created on the film F, andincorporates an exposure section 4d in front of the exposure chamber 4cfor defining a light path from a subject toward the film F.

The film housing 2 has a small depth between the rear and the front, andhas the partly cylindrical protuberant portion 7 disposed to cover thefront of the contained cassette C (see FIG. 3) while projectingforwardly beyond the thin portion of the film housing 2. The main body 4and the front and rear covers 5 and 6 are generally formed of resincolored black, for the purpose of preventing ambient light from enteringthe inside of the film housing 2, and for avoiding diffused reflectionof subject light in the light path through the exposure chamber 4c andthe exposure section 4d, inside the main body 4 and in front of the rearcover 6.

The exposure section 4d includes a shutter mechanism and supports ataking lens 8. The front cover 5 of the film housing 2 has a centralprotuberant portion 9 surrounding the taking lens 8 to cover the frontof the exposure section 4d while projecting forwardly beyond the thinpart of the film housing 2.

In the front cover 5 is formed a finder window 10. A finder lens 11 ismounted on the main body 4, and appears through the finder window 10. Adepressible portion 12 serving as a shutter release button is formed onthe top of the front cover 5. A counter window 13 is also formed in thefront cover 5. Reference numeral 14 designates an operable windingwheel, which is operated to wind the film F frame by frame back into thecassette C.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the packaging 30 when flattened out consistsof a sheet 30a, in which openings 16 to 20 and a cut-out 21 are formed.In the opening 16, the central protuberant portion 9 is received.Through the opening 17, the finder lens 11 is exposed. In the opening18, the release button portion 12 is exposed so as to be operableexternally. Through the opening 19, the counter window 13 is visible. Inthe cutoff 21, the winding wheel 14 is disposed so as to be accessibleexternally. The sheet 30a also has tabs 22a to 22g, which are adheredinside associated faces of the packaging 30.

For the sheet 30a to receive the film housing 2 despite the projectingshape of the protuberant portion 7, there are formed slits 44a and 44bin the sheet 30a. The slits 44a and 44b have a length equal to orslightly greater than the horizontal width of the protuberant portion 7,and are formed within the contours of the sheet 30a without extending tothe periphery of the sheet 30a. A four-sided portion 33 to be curved isdefined between the slits 44a and 44b and between two bending linesalong which the sheet 30a is bent inwardly, as indicated by the brokenlines. The interval between the bending lines is equal to the length ofthe slits 44a and 44b. To manufacture sheet 30a, sheet material is firstprinted to have commercial decorative matter, before the sheet 30a iscut out of the sheet material. The slits 44a and 44b are formedsimultaneously with the cutting out of the sheet 30a.

Note that the slits 44a and 44b are defined as respective single lineswithout width. The slits 44a and 44b are depicted in FIG. 4 as having anappreciable width only for ease of understanding.

The sheet 30a cut out as shown in FIG. 4 is supplied to an automaticpackaging apparatus, to which the film housing 2 after assembly is alsosupplied. The dot-dash-lines in FIG. 4 represent bending lines. Thesheet 30a is bent along those lines in preliminary fashion in thepackaging apparatus, for the purpose of providing folds for the sheets30a before covering the film housing 2.

As can be seen in FIG. 5, in an upstream station, a male mold 35 and afemale mold 36 are arranged in opposition along the path of the sheet30a. The male mold 35 has a partly cylindrical convex shape. The femalemold 36 has a partly cylindrical concave shape. When the sheet 30a isbrought between the molds 35 and 36, the four-sided portion 33 ispositioned on the convex portion of the male mold 35, which is pushedagainst the female mold 36 to press the four-sided portion 33 to curveit outwardly. The sheet 30a is then bent inwardly along the brokenlines.

After this pressure molding, the four-sided portion 33 projects abovethe flat sheet 30a a distance in a range from 2 to 3 mm. The molds 35and 36 have faces that are smoothly cylindrical without unevenness.Alternatively, the female mold can have a plurality of projecting ridgesparallel to the generatrix of the cylinder, so as to provide a frontface of the four-sided portion 33 with a plurality of grooves 33aparallel to the generatrix. This facilitates curving the four-sidedportion 33, and improves the photographer's grip on the film unit, whenthe four-sided portion 33 is grasped. Note that the male mold mayfurther have a plurality of ridges and/or grooves. It is also preferablein the course of the above pressure molding to apply high frequency orultrasound waves to the four-sided portion 33 to heat it.

After curving the four-sided portion 33, the sheet 30a is bent along thedepicted dot-dash-lines. Adhesive agent is applied to the tabs 22a to22g. The sheet 30a is formed into the packaging 30 of a box shape. Withthe packaging 30 halfway finished, the film housing 2 is inserted intothe packaging 30. A rear portion of the packaging 30 is finally adheredto a bottom portion by adhering the tab 22d, so as to obtain the filmunit as a product. The protuberant portion 7 is tightly covered by thefour-sided portion 33, and is used as a grip for the film unit. The slit44b is spread to be an opening 31b above the four-sided portion 33 andthe slit 44a is similarly spread to provide an opening below portion 33,through which openings the protuberant portion 7 partially appears.

Note that it is desirable while pressing the four-sided portion 33 tosupport the overall peripheral portions around the sheet 30a in stablefashion, so as to avoid breakage, deformation and wrinkles in theperiphery of the sheet 30a. It is also desirable to form the slits 44aand 44b to be spaced 3 mm or more from both of the openings 16 and 18.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate another preferred packaging 38 constituted of asheet 38a. Two arcuate cuts 51a and 51b are formed in the sheet 38a, anddefine a quasi-four-sided portion 39, which is pressed in the samemanner as above. There are thus formed openings 39a and 39b next to thequasi-four-sided portion 39 through which the protuberant portion 7partially appears. Note that the cuts 51a and 51 b are defined asrespective single curves without width. The width of the cuts 51a and51b as depicted in FIG. 7 is only for ease of understanding.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate a further preferred packaging 43, of which afour-sided portion 45 between the slits 44a and 44b is printed to bedark, e.g. black, on a sheet 43a. Around the four-sided portion 45 areformed black-printed portions 46a to 46e, which are located, when thesheet 43a is formed into the packaging 43, around the cassettecontaining chamber 4a, so that the right end of the film unit, as viewedby the photographer holding the film unit, is generally colored black.Portions of the surface of the film unit not colored black are printedin other colors such as green, and provided with patterns or decorationconvenient for commercial distribution.

The protuberant portion 7 is received in the four-sided portion 45. Theslit 44b is spread to an opening 31b, through which the protuberantportion 7 partially appears. The four-sided portion 45 and theblack-printed portions 46b and 46d have the same color as the blackprotuberant portion 7, and impart a desirable unitary appearance to thegrip of the film unit, and make it easier for the photographer to holdthe photo film unit without slippage.

FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate still another preferred packaging 50constituted of a sheet 50a. The two curved cuts 51a and 51b are formedin the sheet 50a, and define a quasi-four-sided portion 55, which ispressed in the same manner as above. There are thus formed openings 39aand 39b next to the quasi-four-sided portion 55 through which theprotuberant portion 7 partially appears partly in the same color as thequasi-four-sided portion 55 and the black printed portion 56a to 56e.

In the above embodiment, the film housing 2 and the four-sided portions45 and 55 are colored black. Alternatively, the film housing 2 may becolored to have a different dark color, by which light is highlyabsorbable. The four-sided portions 45 and 55 may be colored the samedark color. In the above embodiment, the front cover 5 has the samecolor as the main body 4 and the rear cover 6. The front cover 5 mayhave any color different from the dark color of the main body 4 and therear cover 6.

In the above embodiment, the four-sided portions 45 and 55, the topprinted portions 46b and 46e and the bottom printed portions 56b and 56eare all black. Alternatively, the four-sided portions and other adjacentportions may be partially colored black, so as to color the edges of theslits or cut the same color as the protuberant portion 7.

FIG. 12 illustrates a comparable example of a sheet 65 for constitutinga packaging, in which slits 64a and 64b are formed. The slits 64a and64b have a length greater than the horizontal width of the cassetteprotuberant portion 7, and extend to the periphery of the sheet 65. Afour-sided portion 66 to be curved is defined between the slits 64a and64b and between the two broken lines along which the sheet 65 is to bebent inwardly. The covering portion 66 is curved and fitted on thecassette protuberant portion 7.

There is, however, a problem in that the slits 64a and 64b are formed solong that the integrity or strength of the sheet 65 is reduced. The longslits 64a and 64b define a flap between them, which may be pulled andtorn accidentally in the course of transportation and/or automaticpackaging. The sheet 65 can tear along either slit, and therefore isdifficult to handle safely. The flap comprised by the four-sided portion66 is rounded cylindrically. However there is a danger that loosenessmay develop between the four-sided portion 66 and the protuberantportion 7 in the course of using the film unit, which in that case couldnot be kept packaged stably.

In the present invention, the slits 44a, 44b and the cuts 51a, 51b donot extend to the periphery of the sheet 30a, 38a, 43a, 50a, so that thepackaging 30, 38, 43, 50 is prevents from being weakened, while thefour-sided portion 33, 39, 45, 55 is shaped to be round by pressing thesheet 30a, 38a, 43a, 50a. The slits 44a, 44b and the cuts 51a, 51bdefine no vulnerable flap to be pulled accidentally in the course oftransportation, avoid tearing the sheet 30a, 38a, 43a, 50a andfacilitate handling of the sheet 30a, 38a, 43a, 50a even duringtransportation. The four-sided portion 33, 39, 45, 55 is pressed to havea nearly permanent curve. There is no possibility of looseness betweenfour-sided portion 33, 39, 45, 55 and the protuberant portion 7 in thecourse of use of the film unit, which can therefore be kept packagedstably.

In the above embodiment, the automatic packaging apparatus bends thesheet 30a, 38a, 43a, 50a in a preliminary fashion, performs the pressuremolding of the four-sided portion 33, 39, 45, 55 and then packages thefilm housing 2 within the packaging 30, 38, 43, 50. Alternatively, anautomatic packaging apparatus may package the film housing 2 in thepackaging 30, 38, 43, 50 which is supplied from a separate apparatus inwhich the sheet 30a, 38a, 43a, 50a is bent preliminarily and pressed torender arcuate the four-sided portion 33, 39, 45, 55.

The process of pressing the four-sided portion 33, 39, 45, 55 can beperformed nearly simultaneously with cutting the sheet 30a, 38a, 43a,50a from the sheet material. Otherwise, the four-sided portion 33, 39,45, 55 can be pressed after having cut the sheet 30a, 38a, 43a, 50a outof the sheet material.

In the above embodiments, the two slits 44a and 44b or cuts 51a and 51bare formed in the respective sheets 30a, 38a, 43a, 50a for thepackagings. Alternatively, it is possible to form only one slit or cut,or no cut, in a sheet for packaging. A four-sided portion on the sheetmay be pressed without cuts, and formed to be fitted on the protuberantportion 7 of the film housing 2. It is desirable during the pressuremolding of the four-sided portion, particularly with one cut or withoutany cut, to apply high frequency or ultrasonic waves, as is describedabove, to heat the four-sided portion. The four-sided portion, prior toapplication of high frequency or ultrasonic waves, may be supplied withmoisture, to aid in curving the four-sided portion.

In the above embodiments, a sheet 30a, 38a, 43a, 50a of cardboard isused for the packaging 30, 38, 43, 50. Alternatively, the packagingsheet can be formed of resin. Without slits or cuts, the resinous sheetcan be formed into the partly curved packaging, with great ease byapplication of heat and pressure.

In the above embodiments, the protuberant portion 7 associated with theperiphery of the cassette C is covered by the packaging 30, 38, 43, 50without looseness. Furthermore, other protuberant portions on a filmhousing can be covered in a sheet-formed packaging according to thepresent invention, such as the central protuberant portion 9 around thetaking lens 8, and protuberant portions formed on a front or top of thefilm housing for various purposes. It is preferred not to form any cutaround a four-sided portion for the central protuberant portion 9.

Material for the cardboard packaging is selected for facility in thepressure molding. An example of easily press-moldable material ispolyethylene (PE) coated paper, which is constituted by base paper andpolytheylene films laminated on both faces of the base paper. ThePE-coated paper has a high quality and good integrity.

Note that the use of PE-coated paper has an additional advantage infacilitating the recycling of the base paper. When disassembled andemptied, used photo film units are collectively withdrawn together withpackagings of PE-coated paper, and the packagings are removed from thefilm housings. The PE films laminated on the packagings are then removedfrom the base paper, by utilizing the performance of the PE-coatedpaper, which is easy to peel off the laminated construction. Therefore,the base paper can be collectively withdrawn and recycled with greatease.

Although the present invention has been fully described by way ofpreferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, various changes and modifications will be apparent to thosehaving skill in this field. Therefore, unless otherwise these changesand modifications depart from the scope of the present invention, theyshould be construed as being included therein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A lens-fitted photographic film unit preloadedwith photographic film and provided with photograph-taking meansassembled therein, comprising:a film housing incorporating saidphotographic film and said photographic-taking means; a protuberantportion formed on an outer side of said film housing; a packing forcovering said film housing at least partially; a deformed portion ofsaid packaging being perliminarily deformed to project outwardly, andbeing fitted over said protuberant portion; a cassette contained in saidfilm housing and having an upright axis and being disposed near an endof said film housing, for containing said photographic film afterexposure; and wherein said protuberant portion and said deformed portionare curved about the outside of said cassette, to be usable as a grip.2. A film unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said protuberant portionprojects forwardly beyond a flat front face of said film housing, saidprotuberant portion having an arcuate shape.
 3. A film unit as definedin claim 1, wherein said deformed portion is formed by pressure molding.4. A film unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said packaging comprisespaper.
 5. A film unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said deformedportion is four-sided as viewed from the front, and includes at leastone flat edge formed in an arcuate shape and flush with a top or abottom of said film housing.
 6. A film unit as defined in claim 5,further comprising at least one cut formed in said packaging at at leastone horizontal side of said deformed portion, in order to accommodate apart of said protuberant portion.
 7. A film unit as defined in claim 6,wherein said film housing has a first color; andwhich further comprisesa colored portion formed on said packaging at least on an edge of saidcut to have substantially said first color.
 8. A film unit as defined inclaim 7, wherein said first color is one by which light is highlyabsorbable.
 9. A film unit as defined in claim 7, wherein said coloredportion includes all of said deformed portion.
 10. A film unit asdefined in claim 7, wherein said colored portion includes a portion ofsaid packaging located over said cassette.
 11. A film unit as defined inclaim 6, wherein said accommodated part of said protuberant potioncomprises an arcuate part close to an end of said protuberant portion.12. A film unit as defined claim 6, wherein said accommodated part ofsaid protuberant portion comprises an end of said protuberant portion.13. A film unit as defined in claim 7, wherein said colored portionincludes a portion of said packing located under said cassette, andwherein a portion of said packaging located behind said cassette and aportion of said packaging located beside said cassette have said firstcolor.
 14. A film unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said deformedportion is four-sided as viewed form the front, and includes two flatedges formed in an arcuate shape and respectively flush with a top and abottom of said film housing, and which further comprises two cuts formedin said packaging at two horizontal sides of said deformed portion, inorder to expose part of said protuberant portion.
 15. A film unit asdefined in claim 14, which comprises a single sheet member, which isbent and adhered to itself, so as to constitute said packaging, andwherein said single sheet member includes a substantially four-sidedfront portion in front of said film housing and provided with saiddeformed portion.
 16. A film unit as defined in claim 14, wherein saidcuts are formed within said sheet member spaced from the periphery ofsaid sheet member.
 17. A film unit as defined in claim 15, wherein saidsheet member further includes:top and bottom portions formed onrespective longer sides of said front portion and mounted respectivelyabove and below said film housing, and a rear portion formed on a longerside of said top portion, mounted behinds aid film housing, and adheredto said bottom portion.
 18. A film unit as defined in claim 17, whereinsaid two cuts are formed respectively between said front portion andsaid top portion, and between said front portion and said bottomportion.
 19. A lens-fitted photographic film unit preloaded withphotographic film and provided with photograph-taking means assembledtherein, comprising:a film housing incorporating said photographic filmand said photograph-taking means and constituted by a main body andfront and rear covers; said main body carrying said film and saidphotograph-taking means; said front cover being mounted in front of saidmain body for covering said photograph-taking means; and said rear coverbeing mounted behind said main body for covering said photographic filmand a cassette from which said film has been drawn; said cassette havingan upright axis and being disposed near an end of said film housing, forcontaining said film after said film is exposed; a protuberant portionformed on the front of said film housing; a packaging for covering saidfilm housing at least partially; and a deformed portion of saidpackaging that has been deformed to project outwardly and is fitted onsaid protuberant portion; said protuberant portion and said deformedportion being curved about the outside of said cassette, to provide agrip.
 20. A film unit as defined in claim 19, wherein said film housingincludes a film winding wheel disposed over said cassette and exposed tothe rear of said film housing, said film being rewound by one frame whensaid winding wheel is rotated, and said packaging having at least onecutout through which said winding wheel is exposed.
 21. A film unit asdefined in claim 19, wherein said film housing includes a taking lens, aviewfinder, a shutter release button, and a frame counter, and saidpackaging has at least one opening through which said taking lens, saidviewfinder, said shutter release button and said frame counter areexposed.
 22. A film unit as defined in claim 19, further comprising:anexposure chamber formed in said main body behind said photograph-takingmeans for introducing light to said film through said photograph-takingmeans to create a frame on said film; a cassette containing chamberformed in said main body beside said exposure chamber for containingsaid cassette, said cassette having a spool, and said film having oneend retained on said spool; a film supply chamber formed in said mainbody opposite to said cassette containing chamber and containing a rollof unexposed film that has been drawn out of said cassette; said frontcover having a flat front face located in front of said exposure chamberand said supply chamber, said protuberant portion being formed on one ofsaid front cover and said main body and being located in front of saidcassette containing chamber, and said cassette in said cassettecontaining chamber projecting forwardly beyond said flat front face. 23.A film unit as defined in claim 22 wherein the rear of said front coverhas a concave face receiving a wall of said cassette containing chamber.24. A lens-fitted photographic film unit preloaded with photographicfilm and provided with photograph-taking means assembly therein,comprising:a film housing incorporating said photographic film and saidphotographic-taking means; a protuberant portion formed on an outer sideof said film housing; a packaging for covering said film housing atleast partially; a deformed portion of said packaging beingpreliminarily deformed to project outwardly, and being fitted over saidprotuberant portion; and wherein said deformed portion is provided witha plurality of linear grooves formed along a generating line of curvingof said deformed portion.